Sinner's Steel

After turning down Dax’s offer, and similar suggestions from board members, Jagger turned the focus of the meeting back to the Black Jacks and their ambition to become the dominant outlaw MC, not just in the state, but nationwide. Instead of a full-on assault, the Jacks had infiltrated Si

Fed up with being on the defensive, Jagger and the national Si

“I’ll do it.” T-Rex, now sporting a massive bruise on his forehead from Axle’s blow, jumped up when Jagger threw the question to the table. Easygoing and good-natured, T-Rex was well-liked and respected by the club members, but he didn’t have the edge that their rat would need to stand up to Viper, president of the Jacks.

“Needs to be someone co

“Same thing that shoulda happened to Axle, but the bastard got away,” Zane mumbled.

“Hard to believe he got away from you,” Gu

“Fourth?” Tank, a dark-haired, slightly stockier version of T-Rex, scratched his head.

Gu

Cade bristled. “Girls don’t count.”

“And even if they did,” Jagger’s lips quirked at the corners. “Aria

“That’s not what she says.” Gu

“I had him trapped behind Big Bill’s shop and I ran out of ammo.” Zane didn’t see any need to mention Evie, or the fact he’d let Axle go to ensure she got away safely. Nor did he feel a need to mention the fact that Evie and Axle knew each other in what seemed to be more than a business-related way. Not until he understood what the fuck was going on.

“You ran out of ammo?” Gu

“I ran out of ammo. You got a problem with that?” Obviously Gu

“What were you carrying?”

“Full-size Springfield XD.” Too late Zane realized his mistake—a mistake he would never have made if he’d been sober. Gu

“The magazine holds thirteen. You missed thirteen shots?”

“Maybe I emptied it out earlier when I used your bike for target practice.” Zane pushed his chair away from the table. If Gu

“Stand down.” Jagger shoved Zane back in his chair. “Gu

“Fucking Jacks,” Zane mumbled. And they were. Fucking. Jacks. They’d shot up Rider’s Bar in retribution for the Si

“Fucking Axle,” Gu

“He’s like a cockroach.” Cade drained his glass. “No matter what we do, he keeps coming back. We can’t catch him. We can’t kill him—”

Gu

Zane pushed himself up so fast his chair fell backwards. He didn’t want any of the Si

“Christ. Not again. Get a fucking grip.” Jagger held out an arm, blocking Zane’s path to a stu

“She’s an old friend.” Jagger raised his voice over Ted Nugent’s “Cat Scratch Fever,” now blasting through the speakers. “Zane and I both knew her growing up. So no disrespect.”

Gu

Still primed and ready for a fight, Zane turned and pounded his fist into the wall, leaving a dent beside the many other dents from the many other bikers who came to the bar to drown their sorrows and vent their rage during a war that had seen far too many causalities.

“I agree with Gun.” Jagger folded his hands on the table as if Zane wasn’t about to explode beside him. “We need someone posted inside Big Bill’s shop during work hours and someone outside when it’s closed over the next few days. It’s our best shot at catching Axle. Evie said he was there for personal reasons. I’ll give her a call to see if she’ll give me any more information, but she’s reluctant to talk because both the Jacks and the Si

Zane opened his mouth to ask Jagger to handle the surveillance personally, and closed it again when he remembered the kiss that had started it all, and the night he’d discovered that there was pain worse than the abuse he had suffered at the hands of his father. Although nine years had passed, and Jagger had found the other half of his soul with Aria

“I’ll do it.” Zane settled back in his chair. “Shooter can stay outside and I’ll take the inside watch.”

“You sure? I need someone to check out the local support clubs for puppet Jacks.” Jagger lifted an eyebrow, giving Zane an out if he wanted it.

“Yeah. Although maybe not first thing in the morning, ’cause I don’t think I’m go

Jagger clapped him on the back. “Shooter will take you back to the clubhouse. He’s waiting outside with the bikes. I couldn’t let him come in because last time he almost shot the place up when he saw some dude at the bar wearing a TV show cut.”

“That boy’s got a serious gun problem,” Zane said. “He carries more weapons on him than Cade had notches on his belt before hooking up with Dawn. Sometimes I wonder how he stands upright.”

“Well then it’s a good thing he’ll be your second.” Gu

“Fuck you.” Zane steadied himself with the back of the chair. Holy Hell. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this drunk. Usually he stopped at one drink, sometimes two, because he didn’t want to impair his ability to ride. Well, he’d kicked that record under the table tonight.